Outside the Gem Theater, beside a luxurious carriage parked on the street, Bill, dressed in a theater staff uniform, stood respectfully, awaiting a reply from within the carriage.
He only waited for a moment before hearing a slightly aged voice emerge from the carriage.
"Can you confirm who it is specifically?"
"I apologize, I cannot. I smelled this scent in the entrance corridor. There were quite a few people passing me at the time... When I looked back, they had already entered the venue and dispersed..."
"I cannot confirm who it is, but what is clear is that it should be a participant, and they are still inside the venue now."
Bill continued speaking. Listening to Bill's words, the being inside the carriage fell silent for a moment, then slowly spoke again.
"After it starts, you can try to confirm it. Remember not to make your movements too large, so as not to startle the snake."
"Yes..."
...
Dorothy, in an exquisite dress, entered the venue with the crowd. Under the illumination of the warm yellow lights, a spacious area appeared in Dorothy's eyes.
Thick pillars and a wide hall. At one end of the hall was a stage covered by a red curtain, and in front of the stage were fan-shaped seating areas.
In the area directly facing the stage was a band tuning their instruments. The surrounding fan-shaped seating areas were tiered from front to back. On the upper levels, there were many independent private boxes. Roughly speaking, this was a standard theater.
Dorothy ascended the steps to the fan-shaped seating area and casually found a seat with a good view. After sitting down comfortably on the soft seat and settling in, she let out a long sigh.
'Phew... Although the dress is exquisite and beautiful... everyday clothes are still more comfortable. But this is still pretty good.'
Thinking this, Dorothy glanced at the other ladies present in the venue. Many of them wore elaborate large skirts with extremely tight waist cinches that looked painful just by looking at them.
Earlier, when Dorothy was buying clothes at the dress shop, she saw a lady being helped by several people to put on a gown. During the waist cinching stage, it was forcefully tightened, and the process was very painful. Dorothy saw her face turn pale.
After some initial understanding, Dorothy realized that this kind of torturous gown seemed to be the fashion of this era. Fortunately, Dorothy was not yet at the age where she needed to wear such gowns for social occasions. Although her current outfit was a gown, it retained many "children's wear" designs.
'Being young has its advantages. At least I don't have to suffer with those aunts. Besides, I'm not here for socializing...'
After complaining, Dorothy began to quietly wait for the evening to begin.
As more and more attendees took their seats, the spacious venue gradually filled up. As time passed, after Dorothy had been seated for over ten minutes, the evening was finally about to begin.
Exactly at seven o'clock, the band, which had been in place for a long time, began to play. As the ensemble music spread throughout the space, the people in the venue who were talking gradually quieted down, knowing that the music was the signal for the beginning.
The melodious music slowly stopped after announcing the beginning. Then, a man in a tuxedo walked onto the stage in front of the curtain. Facing the seating area, he cleared his throat and loudly announced.
"Good evening, ladies and gentlemen full of kindness!" In response to the host's opening, a round of applause echoed through the venue. After the applause subsided, the host spread his arms and continued to shout with an enthusiastic tone.
"Once a year, we gather here again under the loving Light of the Holy Mother. As before, the convergence of everyone's love today will be the bright Light for the poor people of Igwinte in the future. Everyone's enthusiasm will be forever remembered."
"First, let us routinely thank the initiator of this grand event, the warmest Light of Igwinte, Viscount Field!"
As he spoke, the host gestured towards an independent private box located high up in the seating area. Immediately, almost all eyes in the venue turned towards that direction, followed by another round of applause.
In the box where gazes converged, an elderly man in a suit, with graying hair, around fifty or sixty years old, smiled and took off his hat to greet the audience. Beside him were a boy and a girl, both wearing exquisite children's clothes, around eight or nine years old, also smiling and waving. Behind them was another elderly man, also around fifty years old, with a goatee, wearing a tuxedo, carrying a cane, and dressed like a butler. He silently watched the thunderous applause and his master's hat-waving greeting.
'Is that Viscount Field? At first glance... he doesn't seem to have any problems.'
Sitting in the row seats in the distance, Dorothy looked at the scene in the distant box and thought this. Just looking roughly, she really didn't see anything unusual.
'Maybe I'm overthinking it... I hope so...'
...
"Is that Viscount Field? He has held this charity event for seven consecutive years."
On the other side, in the Shining Light Church's exclusive box, Vanya, dressed in a Sister's habit, looked at the old man waving in the distance and said curiously, while the people accompanying her also nodded and smiled.
"Yes, he is a well-known philanthropist in Igwinte. Only a place educated by the Holy Mother could produce such a person."
"Ahaha... That is indeed true..."
...
After introducing Viscount Field, the host introduced several other important figures in turn, and then officially announced the beginning of the evening.
"Now, first, please enjoy the usual opening performance, a chorus presented by the children of Cien Orphanage!"
Then, the host slowly exited the stage, and the stage curtain gradually opened. Behind the curtain appeared children dressed in white clothing.
At this moment, they were standing neatly in rows on a tiered platform, facing the audience. Each small face showed a hint of nervousness, and everyone was wearing performance costumes.
White clothes, white skirts, with white fluffy cotton balls decorating the cuffs, collars, skirt edges, and clothing edges. These were the unified clothes worn by these children. Regardless of gender, everyone wore a small lamb horn headdress on their heads.
Combined with their all-white and cotton fluff decorations, it couldn't help but make one think of them as little lambs.
'The design of these performance costumes is good... It has a nice feel to it...'
Looking at the scene on the stage, Dorothy thought. She had already found Anna's figure within the group. She was in the middle of the front row, shaking her head from side to side, seemingly looking for something in the seating area. After inadvertently seeing Dorothy's figure, she showed a bright smile, and Dorothy also smiled and waved back at her.
Finally, after everything was ready, the band below the stage began to play soothing music, and the children on the stage also began to sing simultaneously, singing sincere songs with their childlike voices.
...
"Lambs... lambs... we are lambs... lovely lambs..."
"Please let us grow with compassion... please let us run with care... we are lambs... fragile lambs..."
"Please bestow kindness... kindness is clear rain, kindness is pasture grass... we are lambs... cared-for lambs..."
"We will eventually repay... we will eventually repay... tomorrow will be better because of us... we are lambs... grateful lambs..."
"Lambs... lambs... we are lambs"
"Lambs of God..."
...
The children's childlike chorus floated through the theater. Everyone was momentarily immersed in this innocent music. The unique clarity, purity, and sweetness of the children's chorus made the audience savor it carefully. The children sang very neatly and uniformly, seemingly having practiced for a long time.
Leaning back in her chair, Dorothy also quietly savored the singing, evaluating the song in her heart.
'Comparing children to lambs... begging for compassionate charity, is this the meaning of this song? Or is there some other meaning within it?'
Just as Dorothy was thinking this, the system's voice suddenly sounded.
'Secret transmission obtained, ""Lamb Song"" fragment. The secret transmission is severely incomplete, and the Spirituality contained is extremely weak. It is recommended to find the complete version to continue cultivation.'